Welcome to Darkest Web. Created in 2010, Darkest Web endeavors to create a laid-back, mature atmosphere for those that wish to explore the complicated dance that Anne Bishop created in her Black Jewels trilogy books. Please register a player account first.

Latest News

06/13/17 Damian an Clair is the new Head of the Hourglass

06/01/17 Nathaniel Troy is stepping down from Amelia, Persis Kersin will be the new ruler.

Black Widow Healer

The black widow healer regarded her twin boys with a bit of dismay. She wasn't sure what they had gotten into this time. She had left them alone with Chance, her brother, for few days. She needed a break and time to consider an assignment their cousin Nate was trying to give her. She had originally planned on going to Spinne Village, home to Dharo's Coven, for a break and guidance. Instead, she ended up in Beinn helping a "friend" heal the injuries from raids. That province needed help and her fingers itched to work, to set right want she could.

Now she was back to pick up her boys and talk to her brother. Asentha studied her boys and decided they must have been fighting in the ditch behind the stables. They smelled like mold and pond scum. She wondered where Chance was and how best to clean off her boys. One of the stable hands came over with a smile he couldn’t hide. He offered to take the boys and clean them off. Ignacio, the prince of the pair had a look on his face before he spoke: “sorry mama, we were catching frogs.” He received an elbow from his twin.

“There are some good sized frogs in that ditch. Chance and I used to catch them when we were your age. However, it wasn’t downhill from a horse barn then.” she frowned at her boys and signed. It would be a losing battle to tell them off. “Go clean up, I’ll see you when you are dry.”

She turned to her brother who was leaving the stables trying to look unhappy with him but she couldn’t. “Brother,” she greeted and stepped up for a hug. “How were the boys? Beyond playing in pond scum?”

Prince

Chance didn't have a lot of male siblings growing up unless one was to count Justin. Which he didn't. That was another tale for another day. Instead, Chance had his sister and his cousins and that was how he was able to make mischief. Nothing had so much changed in the odd number of years since all of them were children themselves. So when his sister had given birth to twin boys, Chance was delighted to finally see some more males in the family. He would openly admit to spoiling them. A trait that only deepened when the boys' father "mysteriously" disappeared. And so he was always happy when they came over to visit because he did like children. Not even having Sybilla hiding in the house would ever keep the boys from coming over. Chance simply wouldn't let them go into the room with the sleeping Black Widow healer.

However, lately, his sister seem to be up to something. She had dropped the twins off before telling him she was going into the dangerous providence of Beinn to help a friend. He hadn't liked it, but he hadn't stopped her from doing so either. In the meantime, Chance enjoyed being an uncle with his nephews showing them all manner of things that was sure to rile his sister up. For example, he showed them the best ways to catch frogs of all manner of sizes. What he hadn't showed them was how to do so without getting dirty. Then both boys had got competitive and then tempers rose and someone got pushed into the murky water. He couldn't tell who started it when they both were dripping. Chance had fished them both out; reminding them of craft lessons for keeping clean even if this reminder was horribly late.

He had intended to take them inside to get cleaned up but one of his assistants had appeared at the top of the hill telling him that there was someone here to see him. Shooting both of his nephews a look, Chance told them to have fun and to not fight, before going to see who showed up. At some point, his sister must've arrived as well and found her two sons no cleaner than he left them. When he sent the merchant on their way, Chance went to go greet his sister biting back his own smile over seeing the boys condition. He wrapped her in his arms for a warm hug.

"They love it here. They don't have to worry about breaking things like they would if they were to go to the main house. They also missed you but knew you were doing important work or you wouldn't left. Come, Jayd has been baking every day since the boys have arrived I wonder what she made today."

Black Widow Healer

Ella slid her arms around her brother’s waist and rested her head on his shoulder. She missed him and having the boys here gave her and excuse to see her brother more often. She also had depended on him a lot since her boys’ father left her. She was aware of her sons' need for a male in their life, between Chance and Ella’s escort Tracy, the boys didn’t seem to miss out on having a father. She was lucky to have Chance she decided even if he did let her boys play in the muddy water.

She smiled at her brother, “I know they love it here. They beg to come back the moment I take them home,” she sighed and rolled her eyes with a laugh. “I think part of it is Jayd’s cooking. I can’t compete,” she said with a joking whine. She dropped an arm from her brother’s waist and rested her hand on his arm. She followed him towards the house.

“How would you feel about the twins being here more often?” Her tone held an edge of seriousness. “Nathaniel,” their cousin and current head of the house (she still wasn’t sure how he managed that), “asked for a favor from me. I am considering it but it would mean leaving the twins in Amelia in your care.”

Prince

Jayd had started off as a part-time spy when he had begun the horse business. A gift of sorts from his step-dad to see what he was up to and how he was spending the money he inherited. Chance used her, making her cook for his growing staff three times a day. Effectively making it impossible for her to spy since she had to cook. Then, his little black widow healer had shown up and she had been able to move in. But Jayd was completely loyal to him now. Everyone trusted her and loved her...though Chance was reasonably sure part of this was because she was a great cook.

"You know, I think I like the sound of that. They are always welcomed here. I have always wanted my place to be like a second home for them." Chance laughed, "In truth, I don't think any of us can when it comes to her meals and snacks." If he wasn't so active, he knew he would be much bigger than he was. A fate he would never let happen. He liked being able to beat the living shit out of more than a few of his Queen's males because they liked to get lazy with their weapon training when he wasn't around. As they began walking, her hand slipped from around his waist to rest on his arm. Slowing, Chance looked at her in question, waiting.

At the question, he came to a full stop, moving his body to face her. His easy smile drifted away as he gave the question no real thought. Yet waited to hear if there was more she had to say. When she did explain to a point, Chance took her hand in his own, swinging it between them. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Nate was leading the family now, Nate rarely asked anything of him. "You mean like moving in? Then quiet your mind and heart. This is the boys second home and for as long as you are away they will be safe here. I will enjoy having them here. That means this is a good time to finally speak of my house guest to you."

Black Widow Healer

Ella knew her boys were in good hands with her brother. She also knew he wouldn’t mind having them here. She felt a slight weight lift off her shoulders. She wasn’t sure how quickly she would end up in Beinn but she didn’t feel safe taking her boys there. Not when they were safe here. Ella chewed on her lip though as he watched her brother, she knew there was an unknown woman living at her brother’s. She didn’t press her brother but her curiosity was overwhelming. She also knew pressing her brother wouldn’t help her figure out. He was as stubborn as any Troy.

She raised an eyebrow, “yes it would be a good time to talk to me about your guest.” She tapped his arm, “I have been very tempted to pry but I haven’t. If my boys are going to be living here, I would like to know.”

She was glad he didn’t ask about what she was going for Nate. Right now it wasn’t dangerous; the Court he wanted her in was still in Amelia. However the Queen had received an offer for a district in Beinn. The province currently was dealing with raiders from Glacia. Ella had worked during the war, it wouldn’t be new to her but it wasn’t what she deemed as safe. She liked the idea, she had felt useless since the war ended. Not a good place for a Black Widow Healer to be.

Prince

Unbothered by the light tapping against his arm, Chance laughed at the mild questioning tone in his oldest sister’s voice. He knew she was very tempted to pry. He liked women, he never hid this fact, this did not mean he invited them over where he lived. And almost never into his bed. In this, he was very much like a Warlord Prince. For him to have a female guest in his house for almost a year without no one know who she was or what she looked like spoke a great many things. Thankfully, there was no one in the family who could beat him in a physical a fight in order to beat it out of him. And only Nate was dark enough could break his shields. This left a lot of unanswered questions. “So it has been eating you up inside.” He pointed out as if he was proclaiming something. With another laugh, Chance wrapped an arm back around her and began escorting her towards the house.

“It’s only dangerous if you have something against the fucking Herondales, but that is the story of our lives when it comes to them.” He continued after a moment of silence to gather where he wanted to begin. “You could say I have been a good Samaritan. I found her half starved, nearly broken in body and jewels, and steps away from the twisted kingdom. For trespassing and given more than a few of my mares a fright I could have killed her. But you already know that.” He had given that much to the family. This was old news. Approaching the back kitchen door, he opened it, holding it for her to enter first. Jayd wasn’t in there, but he didn’t have to worry since she had left a basket of nut cakes on the counter. “Yes, cakes! I’ll grab the milk if you get the little plates.” Moving the basket to the table, he went to the ice box for the milk then called in two mugs.

Once they had settled down at the table, Chance took a sip of his milk. “It wasn’t until the first month of this year that she was able to fully move around even if she still tired easily. She complained of wanting fresh air…in the middle of winter no less. With limits, I agreed and then I learned her story.” He looked down taking a moment to break his nut cake in half then fourths. Then looked back up, his eyes steady. “She’s a Herondale. Not just any minor Herondale like I first thought either Ella. She’s the one who went missing. They’ve done a very good job of keeping it quiet, but there are rumors if one knows how to listen. I don’t have all the story, but she’s told me enough to make me think she’s safer here. The problem is the ceremony where I officially take over Beaune…and her wanting to get in touch with her family she’s hiding from.”